Machiavelli’s way of life in comparison to today’s society:
The argument that I am going to discus is that a leader should know when he can do bad things that seem to be right at that point in time. Machiavelli believes that a leader should have the knowledge to know when to do things but also to know when he has to stop. In the past and in today’s society we see this principal come up quiet often. In the following paragraphs you will see that even in The history and preset tie of America, these principals have existed.
In America’s history Machiavelli’s argument that a “prince” should know when to do thing that will gain him his state show up quiet often. An example of this would be during the Mexican-American war. Before the war President James k. Polk believed in Manifest Destiny. Under this belief President Polk believed that it Americas god sent destiny to move west and expand the principal of liberty to the rest of the western land(Mexican-American War). Mexico, just acquiring Texas from Spain, was the only thing that was standing in the way of the United States from accomplishing their purpose. President Polk saw that Mexico would be very easy to conquer. Being that Mexico had a very weak government, little money , and no one to protect their territory in Texas because of the lack of agricultural land up north. President Polk saw that if he provoked Mexico, maybe his actions would seem as good instead of greedy. So president Polk decides to invade Mexican territory and provoke the Mexicans. Claiming that American blood was shed o American soil Polk decided to declare war. At first Americans support the war but as the war goes by some Americans begin to change their opinions. President Polk did exactly what Machiavelli said a prince should do . He bullied a country because they refused to give up their territory and declared a war at the right time. President Polk , like Machiavelli says,” knew how to do wrong and make use of it, or not according to necessities.”
The Battle of Sacramento - Currier and Ives
In present day American Machiavelli’s principal also tends to show up. The disaster of September 11 is a great example. The United State had always wanted to get the oil from Iraq and needed to find a way to be able to achieve it. On September 11, 2001 new York suffered a great attack. The World Trade towers were attack by nineteen suicide al-Qaeda boomers. The towers collapsed and about three thousand people perished due to the evil of those nineteen men. Soon after President Bush and Congress declared war on Iraq. President Bush said that Iraq’s president had something to do with the attack and that he had nuclear weapons. He used that excuse and the attack on the Twin tower to invade Iraq and take control of it with military force. Even though many Americans died in the September eleventh incident this war has always been a war for oil and money. President Bush may have initially started the war because of the attack but in the end he continued it because of economic reasons. To this day many Americans still support him in the war but there are many that have figured out that there is no point for so many American to lose their money because of oil. President Bush declared war at the right time and he had the complete support of his people but failed to know when enough is enough and that might end up loosing him his” state”. Just like Machiavelli stated a prince should also know when his actions can loose him his kingdom.
The argument that I am going to discus is that a leader should know when he can do bad things that seem to be right at that point in time. Machiavelli believes that a leader should have the knowledge to know when to do things but also to know when he has to stop. In the past and in today’s society we see this principal come up quiet often. In the following paragraphs you will see that even in The history and preset tie of America, these principals have existed.
In America’s history Machiavelli’s argument that a “prince” should know when to do thing that will gain him his state show up quiet often. An example of this would be during the Mexican-American war. Before the war President James k. Polk believed in Manifest Destiny. Under this belief President Polk believed that it Americas god sent destiny to move west and expand the principal of liberty to the rest of the western land(Mexican-American War). Mexico, just acquiring Texas from Spain, was the only thing that was standing in the way of the United States from accomplishing their purpose. President Polk saw that Mexico would be very easy to conquer. Being that Mexico had a very weak government, little money , and no one to protect their territory in Texas because of the lack of agricultural land up north. President Polk saw that if he provoked Mexico, maybe his actions would seem as good instead of greedy. So president Polk decides to invade Mexican territory and provoke the Mexicans. Claiming that American blood was shed o American soil Polk decided to declare war. At first Americans support the war but as the war goes by some Americans begin to change their opinions. President Polk did exactly what Machiavelli said a prince should do . He bullied a country because they refused to give up their territory and declared a war at the right time. President Polk , like Machiavelli says,” knew how to do wrong and make use of it, or not according to necessities.”
In present day American Machiavelli’s principal also tends to show up. The disaster of September 11 is a great example. The United State had always wanted to get the oil from Iraq and needed to find a way to be able to achieve it. On September 11, 2001 new York suffered a great attack. The World Trade towers were attack by nineteen suicide al-Qaeda boomers. The towers collapsed and about three thousand people perished due to the evil of those nineteen men. Soon after President Bush and Congress declared war on Iraq. President Bush said that Iraq’s president had something to do with the attack and that he had nuclear weapons. He used that excuse and the attack on the Twin tower to invade Iraq and take control of it with military force. Even though many Americans died in the September eleventh incident this war has always been a war for oil and money. President Bush may have initially started the war because of the attack but in the end he continued it because of economic reasons. To this day many Americans still support him in the war but there are many that have figured out that there is no point for so many American to lose their money because of oil. President Bush declared war at the right time and he had the complete support of his people but failed to know when enough is enough and that might end up loosing him his” state”. Just like Machiavelli stated a prince should also know when his actions can loose him his kingdom.
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Bibliography:
7 Dec 2007 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.victorystore.com/images/gw-portrait.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.victorystore.com/bush_cheney.htm&h=2856&w=2236&sz=596&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=qAJ1KRt09lcxCM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPresident%2Bbush%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SUNA_enUS251US252%26sa%3DN>.
(Source A)
"Mexican-American War." Wikipedia. Dec 11 2007. Wikipedia foundation Inc.. 18 Dec 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican-American_War>. (Source B)
"The Mexican American War." March 14. PBS. 18 Dec 2007 <http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/>. (Source C)
"September 11,2001 attacks." Wikipedia. Dec 18 2007. Wikipedia foundation Inc.. 18 Dec 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11,_2001_attacks#Fatalities>. (Source D)
Pictures:
7 Dec 2007 <http://www.yuricareport.com/Images/Village/PenMachiavelliFC0140449159.jpg>.(Source E)
<http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/precivilwar/section8.rhtml>. (Source F)
an American War." March 14. PBS. 18 Dec 2007 <http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/>.(Source C)
"September 11,2001 attacks." Wikipedia. Dec 18 2007. Wikipedia foundation Inc.. 18 Dec 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11,_2001_attacks#Fatalities>. (Source D)
acorrea
period 3